Conclusion
When we reviewed the previous PC13-Ultra model, we thought it could hardly be improved. How wrong we were! SVSound managed to astound us all over again. This new PC13-Ultra sounds incredibly tight and super controlled. It integrates effortlessly and seamlessly with the most difficult main speakers of all: electrostats. For this kind of performance, you’d have to pay a multitude of SVSound’s price with other brands, that much is sure. As far as audio performance is concerned, all our expectations have been met or surpassed and all of our desires were fulfilled. Simply wow!
Still, further improvement is possible and warranted. With the configuration of the subwoofer. For a sub of this class, it deserves an automatic calibration via microphone or at least a remote control. If SVSound adds that, it will have an absolute star performer. As far as this author is concerned, this sub merits the label ‘product of the year’.
Software list
Music (used cd’s/sacd’s/dvd-audio’s during review):
* Earl Wild (piano) + Jascha Horenstein, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Rachmaninov – Piano Concertos etc.
* Felix Alexandre Guilmant, Symphony No. 1 for Organ and Ochestra Op.42 (I. Introduction and Allegro); Charles-Marie Widor, Symphony for Organ Op. 42 No. 5 (V. Toccata, Allegro); Francis Poulenc, Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani (I. Andanta)
* Edgar Meyer: “Bach: Unaccompanied Cello Suites performed on double bass”
* Hille Perl: “…per la viola da gamba”
* Günter Wand / Berliner Philharmoniker: “Bruckner – Sinfonie Nr. 8”, Originalfassung
* Yo-Yo Ma plays the music of John Williams; cello & orchestra; solo cello
* (sacd), Richard Joo – piano, “Op. 1-10 Fantasies & Delusions” by Billy Joel, music for solo piano
* (sacd) Björk: “Medulla”; track 6 ‘Who is it’
* Patricia Barber: “Café Blue”
* (sacd) Norah Jones: “Come Away With Me”
* Jean-Michel Jarre: “Metamorphoses”
* (sacd) Dire Straits: “Brothers In Arms”
* Universal 017 193-2, Willem Vermandere: “Omzwervingen – Liedjes zonder woorden”
* (dvd-audio) Kunzel/Cincinatti Pops Orchestra: “Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture”
* (dvd-audio) Juritz/London Mozart Players: “Vivaldi – The Four Seasons”
* (dvd-audio) Zubin Mehta/Israel Philharmonic: “Mahler – Symphony No. 2 in C minor ‘Resurrection'”
* and much, much more…
Film (used dvd’s and Blu-Ray’s during the review):
1. dvd-video
* Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King (DTS-ES)
* Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace, II: Attack of the Clones III: Revenge of the Sith
* U571 (DTS)
* DTS demo disc #4
2. Blu-Ray
* BBC Earth
* Eragon
* Inception
* The Day The Earth Stood Still
Review setup
Front and rear speakers: Audiostatic DCM3-T7 electrostats (heavily modified ES-300R)
Subwoofer: SVSound PC13-Ultra (review model)
Power amplifier front speakers: Musical Fidelity P270.2
Power amplifier rear speakers: Nikko Alpha VI
Surround processor/preamplifier: Sherwood P965
Stereo preamplifier: Advance Acoustic MPP-206
Player 1: Denon DVD-3910 (sacd, dvd-audio, dvd-video, cd)
Player 2: Sony BDP-S500ES (BluRay, dvd-video, cd)
Audio connection players to surround processor: multichannel HD analog
Video connection players to tv: HDMI 1.4
TV/monitor: Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85E (full HD plasma)
Speaker cable: 2,5 mm² multi-conductor copper cable 4x 5 m length
Audio cable (interlinks): Oehlbach, InAkustik, Von Masoch
HDMI cables: König
Configuration subwoofer crossover frequency: 70 Hz
Product info,Price, Technical specs
Product: PC13-Ultra STA-1000D
Producer: SVSound, Inc.; USA; www.svsound.com
Distributor: L-Sound, N; www.lsound.eu
List prices: 1.799 euro incl. VAT excl. transport
Technical specifications:
45 days try and money-back guarantee
1.000 Watt DSP Sledge STA-1000D amplifier built-in
three 9 cm ports (can be closed with three supplied foam plugs)
down-firing 34 cm woofer with special very light yet sturdy composite    cone
user configurable depth: 20 Hz, 16 Hz or sealed
magnetic removable metal grid on top
architecture-grade black fabric exterior
takes very little floor space (42 cm diameter)
119 cm height
weight 41 kg
guarantee: 3 years “bumper to bumper” (free transport)
